The Best Kept Non-Secret In Pleasanton

The Francisco Alviso Adobe is the centerpiece of the Pleasanton Alviso Community Park. It is filled with objects and exhibits that tell the story of its occupants.

Pleasanton's is a unique historical landmark that tells the story of California from its earliest human occupation, dating back to 3420 B.C. through the Spanish and Mexican eras and into the agricultural/dairy period of the 20th century.

Restoration was completed approximately four years ago, included the restoration of the historic Alviso Adobe, one of the first buildings in the Amador Valley, (State Historical Landmark No. 510).

The restoration also included the re-creation of the Meadowlark Dairy, including the Milking Barn and Bunkhouse. In addition to the spectacular valley views, features of the site included the foundation of the dairy manager's house and the site of the Dairy Silo.

Today, the site serves as an interpretive center for grades K-5. Students attending the classes must be registered prior to attending. Eric Nicholas, the city of Pleasanton's Naturalist, is on site.

Kids attend class at the site as a field trip from the regular classroom. Following the morning class, kids have lunch on site. For more information to enroll your child: 925-931-5350 or enicholas@cityofpleasantonca.gov

Consult the city of Pleasanton Fall 2012/Winter 2013 Activities guide in the Natural World section. The site is having a Halloween event. If you like spooky but not terrifying, visit for the Halloween event and encounter creepy crawlers, snakes and more.

There is no fee to visit the Alviso Adobe Community Park. There may be fees associated with programs or workshops provided by the city of Pleasanton either on or off site.

The park is open daily from dawn to dusk. The park buildings are open for self-guided tours Wednesday through Sunday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The park buildings are closed Mondays, Tuesdays and holidays.

For more information on participating in special events, educational programs or school programs at the Alviso Adobe Community Park, please contact 925-931-3479 or visit www.ci.pleasanton.ca.us/services/recreation/html

If you are a scout and working toward an Eagle or other merits, this is an ideal place to work toward it. If you are a high school student looking to fulfill your volunteer program, this is an ideal place to fulfill it.

For more information on Alviso Adobe Junior or Adult Volunteer opportunities, please contact 925-931-3479 or visit: www.helplendahand.org.

For thousands of years, Ohlone women played important roles in managing the landscape of the valley and sustaining their people.

They would often come together with the rest of the village women and sing or talk as they prepared food for thier village or created fine woven baskets.

Ohlone women also treated illnesses, and administered herbal medicines and other remedies made from natural materials in the landscape.

The Francisco Alviso Adobe was built in 1854 by Francisco Alviso, son of Francisco Solano Alviso, majordomo for Santa Rita Rancho. The Adobe occupies the southern portion of the former Rancho Santa Rita lands.

The Alviso family lived in the adobe until the 1880s. In 1919, Walter M. Briggs bought the adobe and surrounding land. From 1923 to 1969, the Briggs headquartered the Meadowlark Dairy operations at the park site.

The re-created Dairy Barn serves as the Interpretive Center for the park. The interior features of the adobe date from 1854 up to the 1960's.

The site serves as a valuable resource for telling the interaction of people and the environment as it occurred in California during the times of the Ohlone, Spanish, Californos, (Californos is the descriptive early 1800s) and early American Agriculturalists.

The Alviso Adobe Community Park is described as the best non-secret in Pleasanton. The kids that go on field trips to this site describe their experiences as "the best field trip I have ever been on" and "lots of fun."

Eric Nicholas said they would love to have more community participation, "it is by way of word of mouth that folks tend to learn of this site", and "students telling their experiences to other students" and the Pleasanton activities guide.

Alviso Adobe community Park Address is 3465 Old Foothill Road in Pleasanton. The best way to access the park is from New Foothill Road north of Bernal and south of Muirwood Drive South.